THE DAILY WHIP: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

**Members are advised that first votes are expected as early as 12:30 p.m. today.

***MEMBERS ARE ALSO ADVISED THAT CLOSE VOTES ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEK. ANY EXPECTED ABSENCES SHOULD BE REPORTED TO THE WHIP’S OFFICE AT x5-3130.

H.R. 687 – Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2013 (Rep. Gosar – Natural Resources) (One Hour of Debate). The bill directs the U.S. Agriculture Department to convey approximately 2,400 acres of federal Forest Service land to Resolution Copper, a mining company, if the company agrees to provide roughly 5,000 acres of non-federal land in return (roughly 1,200 acres would become National Forest land and the rest would be managed by the Bureau of Land Management). The 2,400 acres of land that would be provided to Resolution Copper are located in Pinal County, Ariz., and are known as the Oak Flat Parcel. The area is likely home to the country’s 3rd largest copper deposit, estimated at a size of 1.6 billion tons or about 25% of the U.S. copper supply over the next 40 years. However, the bill limits review of the environmental effects of this land transfer and has raised concern among several Native American tribes that it does not include consultation regarding the protection of sacred and cultural sites prior to the land transfer.

The Rule, which was adopted last week, makes in order 3 amendments, debatable for 10 minutes, equally divided between the offeror and an opponent. The amendments are:

Rep. Grijalva Amendment. Requires the Remote Operating Center for mining operations conducted on lands conveyed under the bill to be located in the town of Superior, Arizona or an adjacent mining community to ensure jobs are created in local communities.Rep. Lujan Amendment. Requires the Secretary to remove Native American sacred and cultural sites from the land conveyance in this bill in consultation with affected Native American tribes.Rep. Napolitano Amendment. Protects water quality and water quantity for the people living and working near this proposed mine, given estimates that mining operations will consume the equivalent of the annual water supply for 20,000 homes.

Postponed Suspensions (2 bills)

H.R. 3095- To ensure that any new or revised requirement providing for the screening, testing, or treatment of individuals operating commercial motor vehicles for sleep disorders is adopted pursuant to a rulemaking proceeding, and for other purposes (Rep. Bucshon – Transportation and Infrastructure)

H.R. 2600- To amend the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act to clarify how the Act applies to condominiums (Rep. Carolyn Maloney – Financial Services)

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOKThe GOP Leadership has announced the following schedule for Friday, September 27: The House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. The House may consider bills under suspension of the Rules. The House may also begin consideration of legislation related to the debt ceiling.

The Daily Quote

“John Boehner isn't even trying to pretend his House of Representatives is a sane place anymore. The House GOP's debt limit bill -- obtained by the National Review -- isn't a serious governing document. It's not even a plausible opening bid. It's a cry for help. In return for a one-year suspension of the debt ceiling, House Republicans are demanding a yearlong delay of Obamacare, Rep. Paul Ryan’s tax reform plan, the Keystone XL pipeline, more offshore oil drilling, more drilling on federally protected lands, rewriting of ash coal regulations, a suspension of the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to regulate carbon emissions, more power over the regulatory process in general, reform of the federal employee retirement program, an overhaul of the Dodd-Frank financial regulations, more power over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s budget, repeal of the Social Services Block Grant, more means-testing in Medicare, repeal of the Public Health trust fund, and more. It's tempting to think that this is Boehner teaching his conference a lesson. They told him what they wanted, and he's going to let them have it -- good and hard. House Republicans are walking into the debt-ceiling negotiations with an opening bid that makes them look ridiculous. This looks like an Onion parody of what the House's debt-ceiling demands might be. It's a wonder it's not written in comic sans. But this is really the conference teaching Boehner a lesson. He had so little support to raise the debt ceiling at all -- and so little trust from his members that he had a strategy to maximize their leverage -- that this is the bill he had to present. At this point, Boehner either can't stop them, or he's too exhausted to try.”